Twenty-five outdoor games that work in the courtyard, the park, the forest and the snow, from the classic Swedish chasing games Burken and Under hökens vingar to nature bingo and stick bridges. Sorted by age and number of children. None of them needs anything more than children, ground and, in a few cases, a stick.
Children play outside if there is something to play. The problem is rarely the weather but that nobody remembers the games. Here are the ones our nannies use at the playground after förskola (municipal preschool, from age one), in the courtyard at the weekend and in the forest during the school holidays, in the order children can manage them.
Chasing games that never die
- Kull (tag). One child chases, whoever is tagged becomes the chaser. From age three. Make a safe zone for the little ones.
- Stå-kull (stuck in the mud). Whoever is tagged stands still with their legs apart until someone crawls through. From age five, works with ten children.
- Kedjekull (chain tag). Whoever is tagged holds the chaser's hand. The chain grows until everyone is caught. From age six.
- Under hökens vingar (under the hawk's wings). The hawk stands in the middle, the others on one side. The hawk calls: Under hökens vingar, kom! (Under the hawk's wings, come!) The others answer: Vilken färg? (Which colour?) The hawk names a colour, and everyone wearing that colour may walk across freely; the others run and get chased. From age five.
- Kom alla mina kycklingar (come, all my chickens). The hen calls, the chickens answer that they dare not because of the fox, the hen says come anyway, everyone runs across and the fox catches as many as it can. From age four.
- Burken (kick the can). A tin can in the middle of the courtyard. One child counts at the can, the others hide. Anyone spotted is caught, but if someone else kicks the can, everyone is free. From age seven, the classic of all classics.
- Dunkgömme (hide and seek with a home base). Like Burken, without the can: whoever is found races back to the base and bangs on it before the seeker does. From age six.
In the courtyard and at the playground
- Hoppa hage (hopscotch). Draw it with chalk or a stick, one stone to throw. From age four.
- Skipping rope. Two swing, one jumps. With a rhyme: Kalle Anka, Kalle Anka, hoppa... From age six.
- Throw against the wall. A ball against a wall, catch it, clap before you catch, spin round once. Harder every round. From age five.
- Land och vatten (land and water). A line on the ground. The leader calls land or water, everyone jumps to the right side. Jump wrong and you are out. From age three.
- Follow the leader outdoors. Over the bench, round the tree, under the slide. Swap leaders.
- Statues. Everyone runs, the leader calls stop, everyone freezes. Anyone who moves gets a forfeit. From age three.
- Kubb for those who own a set. From age seven, and adults are happy to lose.
In the forest
- Nature bingo. A card with ten things to find: a pine cone, a white stone, a feather, a leaf with a hole in it. From age three with an adult to read it out.
- Stick bridge. Build a bridge over a ditch or a puddle. Test whether it holds a stone, a shoe, a foot.
- Den building. Sticks leaning against a trunk. No plan, just build. From age four, all day long from seven.
- Hide and seek in the forest. Mark out the area with two clearly visible trees. Count loudly and slowly.
- Tracking. One child goes ahead and lays sticks as arrows. The others follow after five minutes. From age six.
- Obstacle course. Balance on a log, under a branch, round a stone, jump over a stream. Time it.
In winter
- Sledging. Obviously. A slope, one pulka (a small sledge) for every two children, and you walk back up yourself.
- Herre på täppan (king of the castle). A pile of snow, one child on top, the others try to take the spot. From age six, and no boots to the head.
- Snow lantern. Snowballs in a ring, the next round slightly inside, until it forms a dome. A candle inside. From age four.
- Snowball fight against the wall. Draw a target on a wall, everyone throws at it. Nobody throws at anybody.
- Tracks. Walk in the snow and make shapes, a spiral, a heart, a name. Look at it from the balcony.
By age and group size
| Two or three children | Five or more | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 4 years | Land och vatten, nature bingo, statues, snow lantern | Kull with a safe zone, Kom alla mina kycklingar, follow the leader |
| 5 to 7 years | Hoppa hage, throw against the wall, stick bridge, tracking | Under hökens vingar, stå-kull, Dunkgömme |
| 8 years and up | Skipping rope, kubb, timed obstacle course | Burken, kedjekull, Herre på täppan |
How we do it with our families
A nanny who picks up from förskola has an hour outdoors on the way home, every time. That is when Under hökens vingar gets taught, and that is when the child learns that the courtyard is fun without toys. Next week they want to play the same game, and the nanny remembers the rules.
Would you like a nanny who knows the songs and the games, and who comes the same days every week? Book a free first meeting with the nanny in your own home.
Read more: Games for kids · Parks in Stockholm with great playgrounds · Things to do with kids in Stockholm
Frequently asked questions
Which outdoor games work for lots of children at once?
Burken, every kind of kull (tag), Under hökens vingar, Kom alla mina kycklingar and Dunkgömme. All of them work with five children or more and need nothing but a courtyard or a park.
What do you do outdoors in winter?
Sledging, snow lanterns, snowball fights against a wall, Herre på täppan on a pile of snow, tracks in the snow, and the same tag games as in summer, only slower. And shorter: twenty minutes, then inside to warm up.
Which outdoor games need no equipment at all?
Hide and seek, kull, Under hökens vingar, follow the leader, nature bingo with a card, a stick bridge over a puddle and hoppa hage with a stick to draw with. Most of the games here need nothing but children and ground.
How long do children play outdoors?
Two- and three-year-olds for half an hour before they want something new. From age five, an hour or more if the game has a story. Dress them for the weather and they will play longer than you can stand watching.